So yes, there’s a good reason why most protein supplements sold are whey. But not all whey powders are equal.

Whey Concentrates, Isolates, Hydrolysates, Oh My!

The three forms of whey protein sold are whey concentrate, isolate, and hydrolysate.

Whey concentrate is the least processed form and cheapest to manufacture, and it contains some fat and lactose. Whey concentrates range from 35 – 80% protein by weight, depending on quality.

Whey isolate is a form of whey protein processed to remove the fat and lactose. Isolates are 90%+ protein by weight, and as they’re more expensive to manufacture than whey concentrate, they’re more expensive for consumers too.

So which should you buy? Well, when choosing a whey, you have a few things to consider.

While isolates and hydrolysates are pushed as superior to concentrates due to purity and higher protein concentrations per scoop, there’s insufficient evidence to support claims that they are superior to concentrates when used as a part of a mixed diet.

That said, choosing the cheapest whey you can find, which will always be a concentrate, isn’t always a good idea, either. A quality whey concentrate is somewhere around 80% protein by weight, but inferior concentrates can have as little as 30% protein by weight.

If a low-quality whey concentrate is only 30% protein by weight, what else is in there? Well, unfortunately we can only wonder, as adulteration (the addition of fillers like maltodextrin and flour) is startlingly rampant in this industry.

Another significant benefit of a pure whey isolate is the removal of the lactose, which means better digestibility and less upset stomachs. (I hear this quite often from customers of mine that like my 100% whey protein isolate product.)

The general rule with whey protein is you’ll get what you pay for–if the product costs a lot less than the going rate for whey, it’s probably because it’s made with inferior ingredients. (And I can tell you firsthand that producing a high-quality whey protein isn’t cheap!)

High prices aren’t always indicative of high-quality, either. Disreputable supplement companies pull other tricks, such as starting with a low-quality concentrate, adding small amounts of isolate and hydrolysate to create a “blend,” and then calling attention to the isolate and hydrolysate in their marketing and packaging.

To protect yourself as a consumer, always check ingredient lists and serving sizes and amounts of protein per serving before buying protein powder.

Specifically, you’re going to want to look at the order in which the ingredients are listed (ingredients are listed in descending order according to predominance by weight), and the amount of protein per scoop relative to the scoop size.

For instance…

If a product has maltodextrin (a filler), or any other ingredient, listed before the protein powder, don’t buy it. That means there’s more maltodextrin, creatine, or other fillers in it than protein powder.

If a scoop is 40 grams but there is only 22 grams of protein per serving, don’t buy it unless you know that the other 18 grams are made up of stuff you want. Weight gainers have quite a few carbs per scoop, for instance.

A high-quality whey protein is easy to spot:

Whey concentrate, isolate, or hydrolysate listed as the first ingredients

A scoop size relatively close to the amount of actual protein per scoop (it’ll never match because there is at least sweetener and flavoring along with the protein powder in every serving)

Whey Protein Processing and Denaturing

A very common method of processing whey protein is using a machine called an “ion exchange.” Whey concentrate is run through this device to create an “ion exchange whey isolate,” and this is often marketed like it’s something good or special.

While this sounds fancy, it actually has significant drawbacks.

Whey protein is a complex molecule made up of many smaller molecules called subfractions, such as beta-lactoglobulin,immuno-globulins, lactoferrin, lactoperoxidases, lysozyme, and others. Each of these subfractions has its own unique properties and functions in the body.

Superior (more expensive) processing methods utilize technologies known as “cold-filtration” and “micro-filtration” to produce the protein powder while still maintaining the original undenatured state of the protein.

How to Use Whey Protein

The ideal ratio between whole food and supplement protein is still an area of scientific ambiguity, but anecdotal evidence has led to the general advice of getting at least 50% of your daily protein from whole food sources.

Remember, protein supplements are meant to be just that–supplements–and not primary sources of daily protein.

Now, as you know, whey protein is a particularly good source of post-workout protein. How much should we have after a workout, though?

Well, according to one study, 20 grams of whey protein eaten as a post-workout meal stimulates maximum muscle protein synthesis. That is, eating more than 20 grams of whey protein after a workout will not increase muscle growth.

While that sounds neat and simple, it doesn’t apply to everyone equally. Protein metabolism and needs are affected by several things:

Anabolic hormones like testosterone, growth hormone, and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) stimulate muscle protein synthesis. If your body has high levels of these anabolic hormones, it will be able to make good use of higher amounts of protein than someone with lower levels.